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Archive for September, 2007

It’s all happening over at Cycling.tv’s Free2View service. Cough 21 Euros and you can get the hi-res version with add-ons.

The 2007 Vuelta began on 1st September and it’s already had its share of excitement, a very positive omen for a race that is characteristically slow to start. Ignoring modern Grand Tour convention, the first stage was a flat mass-start race around the area surrounding Vigo that not only Read the rest of this entry »

1 ferry. 3 Islabikes. 6 kiddie pannier bags. 1 tent. 2 adults. 10 days. 0 punctures.
Josh Reid is nine. His sisters Hanna and Ellie are seven. All three are now accomplished cycle camping tourists. Last year they cycled, bag-less, 40+ miles a day through the wilds of Northumberland, close to the QR.tv HQ in Newcastle-on-Tyne.

This year, as discussed at length on The Spokesmen podcast, the Reidlets were equipped with touring-specced Islabikes and cycled from home to the DFDS ferry at North Shields and disembarked on to the pristine cycle paths of the Netherlands. The kids decided to carry their own gear this year and did so with Ortlieb’s brightly-coloured waterproof front pannier bags.

Mum had two ancient rear pannier bags. Dad had even more ancient front and rear Karrimor panniers and also lugged a Burley trailer stuffed with camping gear.

Carlton Reid’s bar-bag also contained on-the-fly video equipment and the ‘07 tour will soon be available on YouTube and embedded on this site. Why? To demonstrate that kids can do serious distances on bikes, and still not be puffed by the end of the day.

Kids get a thrill from the sense of achievement, get to see wildlife up close whenever they feel like stopping, and had masses of fun cycling and when camping. Got active kids? Start cycle touring.